Supermarket News

6 days ago | supermarketnews.com | Chloe Riley

A Colorado union is suing the Kroger-owned brands King Soopers and City Market, saying the retailers violated term agreements following an 11-day strike by workers. According to the lawsuit, filed Thursday, following an 11-day strike at 79 King Soopers by some 10,000 UFCW Local 7 workers in February, King Soopers had agreed to a 100-day pause on implementing any contract changes as part of an agreement to end that strike.

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

A first-in-the-nation bill effectively banning companies that own pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from also owning retail pharmacies in Arkansas was signed into law this week by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The new law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, prohibits PBMs from obtaining certain retail pharmacy permits. Supporters allege that vertically integrated PBMs inflate drug prices and unfairly pressure the profitability of independent retail pharmacies.

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Bill Wilson |Timothy Inklebarger

What’s happening with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits? The federal program that focuses on food insecurity for millions of U.S. citizens is on the chopping block and could be cut as much as 22%. That could mean big losses for grocery retailers, particularly Walmart and Kroger. Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and other states have plans in the works to cut soda and other junk foods from the SNAP program.

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Laurel Grocery Co., which supplies independent grocers in the Southeast and Midwest, is shutting down its wholesale operations, according to local reports. In statements to local media, the 103-year-old, family-owned company, based in London, Ky., cited competition from big-box discounters and e-commerce operators. Laurel Grocery Co. was one of the approved suppliers for the IGA network of stores, and it supplied more than 200 retail locations in total across seven states.

1 week ago | supermarketnews.com | Mark Hamstra

Easter celebrations drove sales gains throughout the store in March of last year, when the holiday occurred on March 30, sending comparisons with this year’s March sales results into negative territory. Ongoing inflation—grocery prices were still up 2.4% vs. a year ago, according to the March Consumer Price Index—and concerns about tariffs and the overall economy are also impacting sales, said Anne-Marie Roerink of 210 Analytics.